Actual Hands-on Building Experience: In addition to working on two construction crews early in my career, I have personally built 7 homes both custom and spec for resale

Remodeling and Repair Businesses: I have owned and operated several rehab, remodeling and home repair businesses over the past 20 years and have personally completed thousands of home and commerical projects from roofing to flooring, and mold remediation to framing, trim, plumbing, electrical, etc.

I am not a Franchisee: Franchises place restrictions on their franchisees and force them to adhere to rigid policies, often NOT in the client's best interest. And no boilerplate checklist reports here! As a freelance entrepeneur, I have personally customized my report writing software to be one of the most comprehensive and complete report systems in the industry and have the liberty to run my business in a way that reflects my personal ethics and beliefs, and not what some team of corporate attorneys dictate, as is usually the case with franchised inspectors. And, when I say I've inspected over 3000 homes, I mean just that. Many franchised inspectors boast "10,000 inspections" but this is usually a collective effort and not representative of the the actual number of inspections personally conducted by the inspector.

One Call Does It All: As a certified home, stucco, and mold inspector, I can handle most any inspection need you may have, even multi-property and light commercial inspections. I was code certified in 2003 as a Building, Mechanical, Plumbing, and Electrical Inspector, and continue to educate myself through self-study, continuing education, and new ever-evolving certifications and recertifications.

Regionally Diversified Experience: Did you know homes are built differently in North Georgia than South Georgia? And Florida stucco is much different than South Carolina stucco? I have been working ALL OVER GEORGIA, North Florida, and South Carolina for years, so my experience is well-rounded in a unique way. I bring this invalueable experience to your inspection to give a more complete assessment of the construction practices used on your particular home.

Thorough Inspections: Many inspectors follow a "minimum" standard regarding mounting roofs, entering crawlspaces, removing panels, etc. Some inspectors remove NO panels at all, and yes, almost every home inspection disclosure and standards of practice states this is acceptable and legally justifiable. Below are the inspection practices that set us apart from the rest:

I always mount the roof if at all possible. It is my strong opinion that you can not perform a proper roof inspection without mounting the roof! I have proved this over and over again by finding everthing from a large hole in the roof to manufacturing defects in the shingles that noone, not even a professinal roofer could detect from the ground. Only roofs greater than 8/12 pitch, roofs with loose granules, and/or roofs which are truely not safely accessible with a 24 foot extension ladder are not mounted...in other words, roofs that are too treacherous or inaccessilble to mount. I mount approximately 75% of all roofs I inspect! I have also been a professional Roofer myself.

I always check both, hot water heater elements and thermostats, and proper grounding. Many inspectors only record the size and type of water heater and check for hot water at the tap, but do not remove panels to check the internal components. The problem is that a water heater will still produce a limited amount of hot water even with one element burned out, and work even if dangerously left ungrounded. Furthermore, I have found elements or wires that were dangerously scortched that would have gone undetected by many other inspectors!

Many inspectors check the heating and air conditioning by simply cutting on the unit and seeing if it produces cool or warm air. They generally also record the type and size off the data plate and check the air diffential (temperature difference) between the registers and return vents, but this is where most inspectors stop their inspection.Not us! In additional to these easy and limited tests, we also always check the rated load amps of the compressor to ensure the compressor is not pulling near, at, or in excess of the rated maximum amps allowed and listed on the data plate. This IMPORTANT BUT TYPICALLY OVERLOOKED information and test gives a pretty accurate indication whether the compressor is at or near the end of its life. We also remove the panel of the air handler and/or furnace and check for obvious defects such as excessive dirt and mold, rust, or visible damage. Lastly, we make every effort to check both the heat and cooling modes on heat pumps, if at all possible weather-wise. *some components can be damaged by running units in hot mode during the summer and vica versa.

I always enter the crawlspace, even crawling on my belly if needed, to access as much of the crawlspace as possible. I have inspected behind many other inspectors that wrote "inaccessible" on the inspection form because the inspector would have to lay on his belly or low crawl to conduct the crawlspace inspection, only to find unbenounced termite infestation or unsafe conditions, after the property was bought and it was too late to back out of the deal! I AM NOT LAZY WHEN IT COMES TO DOING A GOOD JOB! IT'S YOUR BIGGEST INVESTMENT AND IT'S MY REPUTATION!

I always remove the electrial panels and check the breakers and wiring. This is often overlooked and is indeed, covered in most standards as being "beyond the scope of the inspection." But how can a home inspector sleep at night knowing that dangerous electrical conditions could be lurking in the panel he or she didn't inspect?

If the home is EIFS or stucco, most inspectors have to "Recommend further evaluation by a stucco specialist.". You will never have to waste time and money trying to find another inspector if the home is stucco or EIFS. I have the industries 2 most respected industry stucco certifications and was involved early on with the Dryvit class action suit including remediation and warranty administation protocol as dictated by the courts.

As a moisture intrusion specialist, I bring a unique set of skills that can prove helpful if the home has unbenouned moisture or rot in the walls or crawlspace.

Lastly, I am not the cheapest inspector in town, but usually not the most expensive either. Isn't your biggest investment worth a few extra dollars to get the experience you deserve?! And I ALWAYS CALL IT LIKE I SEE IT! I never accept gratuities or try to impress a Realtor by helping unscrupelously to get a deal closed. I always call it like I see it, but always strive to educate all parties so the deal comes together successfully. This does not always happen however, unfortuneately, and not every home I inspect closes. That's just the unfortuneate nature of the job.